T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Mingling With Royalty At WDW

One of the best parts of WDW is the character interaction – you have a chance to meet so many different characters, and it’s always fun to get a hug and a picture with your favorite! One of my favorite ways to meet characters is by going to character meals – there are usually 4 or 5 characters that mingle around while you’re eating to interact with you – and the best part is they come right to you! No waiting in line necessary!

One of more coveted (aka harder to get a reservation for) is Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom – where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in a royal fashion inside Cinderella’s Castle!

When you arrive, you are greeted downstairs by Cinderella and you have your picture taken with her (the photos are then brought to your table, and the price is included in the meal!)

Once your name is called, you head upstairs to your table. Personally, I loved getting to see the inside of the Castle – it’s beautiful, and not something that everyone gets to see, so that makes it all the more special!The food here is amazing – my husband especially enjoyed the Prime Rib!

Why Adults will love it – The food really is amazing, plus guys will like the princesses (they are usually not too hard on the eyes!) and the experience is fun and unique, and makes you feel like real royalty!

Why Kids will love it – getting to meet their favorite princesses and pretend they are little princes and princesses will brighten any little one’s day! Plus, what a perfect excuse to dress up like your favorite Disney Princess!

TGIF!

Getting Close To The 180 Day Mark – Time To Plan out Those ADR’s!

 

Our Walt Disney World Family Christmas Adventure may still be over 7 months away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning – especially since our ADR day is only a month away!

First you may wonder – what the heck is an ADR day? It’s that magical day that occurs 180 days before your WDW arrival, where you can either go online and call the fine folks at Disney Dining and make your trip dining selections!

You also might not be entirely sure what an ADR is – it stands for Advance Dining Reservation, and how it works is you select a time to eat at your fave Disney restaurants, and when you arrive at that time, your name will be first called once a table becomes available for your party

Ok, so now that we are all clear on what makes this 180 day mark so special, we can get down to business! For us, a party of 4 adults, we want to make sure we are picking a variety of places – family friendly character meals as well as places that offer new and exciting cuisine, and also places that might be a little more “adult” friendly (aka – have a good wine selection!). Also, since we will be there on Christmas, we want to at least try and have some kind of familiar “holiday” meal, similar to what we would have at home.

So we sat down, talked it out, and utilized some menus to decide what we really wanted to experience when it came to our WDW dining experience

Our Final Choices?

-Via Napoli for Lunch – wood fired pizzas, wine and other Italian treats over in Epcot’s World Showcase

-Raglan Road for Dinner – This has turned into a “must do” – the atmosphere, entertainment, beer selection, and amazing Irish eats have been amazing every time, without fail

-1900 Park Fare for Breakfast – This is a “new” one for us (“new” meaning we haven’t been in about 20 years so none of us remember it!) – we are excited to spend time with the Alice In Wonderland characters and sample some delicious breakfast buffet items over at WDW’s beautiful Grand Floridian Resort

-Liberty Tree Tavern for Christmas Eve Dinner – Turkey and all the fixin’s are a perfect choice for a family holiday meal – and the rustic old American theming of the restaurant located in the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square is a great place to feel happy and at home!

-Boma for Dinner – This has also become a “must do” for our family – at first I must admit I was hesitant to bring my family here, unsure of how they would react to the authentic African cuisine – but they LOVED it – and we will definitely be back for more unique salads, hummus, and bobotie (my personal fave – an egg based beef and lamb dish that is to die for!)

-Crystal Palace for Breakfast – This has been a “must do” for over 20 years for my family – the delicious food and amazing characters make it the perfect way to start a day at the Magic Kingdom. Pose with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet as you sample Poohs Breakfast Lasagna, Mickey Waffles, and much much more (bottom line – you won’t leave hungry!)

-Ohana for Dinner – Another “new” addition to our dining agenda, I have been wanting to try this one for a while (pretty much since I heard that they serve warm banana bread pudding for dessert!). This all you care to eat family style restaurant at WDW’s Polynesian Resort serves up Asian inspired meats, veggies, and rice in a relaxed, tropical setting

Now all I need to do is wait a month to make the ADR’s….then just another 6 months until I am back at my favorite place!

What do you think – Do you have any places you have to eat at/want to eat at/want to try while vacationing at WDW?

WDW – A Sushi Lover’s Heaven

When I was a kid, Walt Disney World food was nothing special – typical burgers, chicken fingers, and soft drinks you would find at any other theme park across the US. But over the last 10 years, they have really been stepping up their game in the culinary arena – there are truly delicious restaurants that serve ALL kinds of food

 

For those of you who love sushi, you don’t have to worry about going without it while vacationing at WDW – there are plenty of places where you can get your fill!

Some form of packaged sushi is available at almost all counter service eateries at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, usually just some vegetable rolls and cooked shrimp options, nothing too spectacular but its always fresh and easy to grab on your way to/from the Parks. Or, in the case of Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a whole sushi bar (and sake!) awaits you!

Head over to Japan in Epcot’s World showcase for some amazing sushi options, available at their sit down and counter service eateries, and they’re authentic, fresh, and delicious!

If you’re in the mood for a sit down meal, I recommend the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort – which comes with a great view of the Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks show, or the Flying Fish Cafe over at the Boardwalk Resort – which is the perfect place to take a sunset stroll

And those are just a few of the options available to those sushi lovers out there – check out the Disney Restaurant Menus on allears.net. Just don’t do it when you’re hungry – it may cause actual drooling!

Try Something Different At WDW

Walt Disney World is known for its Theme Parks and rides, and they are some of the best in the world, as Disney really strives to create an immersive guest experience, and they 100% succeed at that (in my humble opinion!)

But, Theme Parks and rides aren’t for everyone, and for those who are headed to WDW and are looking for something unique and different to occupy your time, here are some things you can try:

-Rent a Boat – WDW offers motorboats, jetskis, and canoes/paddle boats for rental, and it’s a great way to get to see more of Disney

-Fishing – You can book fishing excursions where you go out with a guide and spend a morning catching some large and small mouth bass (you don’t get to keep what you catch, unfortunately, but its still a fun time!)

-Bike Rides – Bike rentals are available at several resorts, and there are lots of trails to explore all around the resorts

-Horseback Riding – at Disney’s Fort Wilderness you can take lessons and go riding through their long nature trails (it’s so peaceful there you may even forget you’re at Disney World!)

-Spa Treatments – WDW offers 2 world class spas where you can relax in a serene setting while you get a massage, facial, and manicure

-Golf – there are several amazing golf courses at Disney, and you can event take lessons from their pros

-Shopping – Stores are everywhere at WDW, for those hardcore shoppers I recommend you head over to Downtown Disney, where you will find everything for sale from toys to Harleys!

-Swimming – All WDW Resorts have pools, and there are also water parks that are the perfect place to cool off on a hot day

-Try Some New Cuisine – WDW is known for it’s amazing food, and there are plenty of restaurants options out there that offer all kinds of food, so it’s a great place to be advanturous and try something new (like African or Moroccan food!)

Disney offers all this and much, much more – check out their website to find out what they have in store for you!

My Magic+ Lets You Plan Your Days At Disney World

Disney is always coming up with new ways to better their Guest’s experience, and their latest invention is the MyMagic+ system, which will allow Guests to pre-plan not only their meals, but also their times for various shows and multiple attractions at once, before they even get to the Parks!

This will work with the Fastpass+ system, as well as integrate with the My Disney Experience App, and all of this comes together to help you plan in advance, as well as easily change your Park plans once you arrive at Disney World

MyMagic+ comes in the form of an RFID bracelet that acts as your Disney Resort room key, room charge, and also holds your dining plan and Fastpass information

MyMagic+ hasn’t officially been rolled out, but it’s currently in the testing stages and it’s rumored that within a few months Resort Guests as well as Annual Passholders will get the chance to try it out! Read more about it on the Disney Parks Blog

So what do you think – is this a good idea that will enrich your WDW experience and allow you to use your super planning skills to their max? Or is this a system that may kill the spontenaity that comes with the vacation territory? Personally, I am on the fence, but am more than willing to give it a try!

Why San Angel Inn Is A Must Do

When planning your trip to Walt Disney World, one of the most important (and fun!) things to do is pick where you’re going to EAT! There are tons of amazing WDW Restaurants and if you’re a fan of authentic Mexican cuisine, then make sure you book a meal at San Angel Inn over in Epcot’s World Showcase

  

The restaurant is located inside the Mexico Pavilion and is modeled after a 17th century hacienda at the base of Mayan ruins – it’s quite the scene, and is the perfect spot to grab some great food and drinks!

Speaking of drinks….Tequila anyone? San Angel Inn offers some delicious drainks, including a variety of margaritas and tequlias – what better way to relax and unwind after a long day walking through the Parks in the hot sun?

Not a tequila fan? Well, don’t worry, there are plenty of other drink choices, like Mexican wines and beers, not to mention all the delicious things to eat – starting with chips and salsa, and entree choices include enchiladas, fish and pork choices, and for dessert choose from amazing delicacies like flan and more!

…Pork tenderloin or chicken enchiladas anyone?

 

Check out my full review on this great eatery on the disney food blog

San Angel Inn really is a perfect place to take a break on a hot day and enjoy some amazing authentic Mexican cuisine. Plus, the dim lighting makes for a pretty romantic setting as well, perfect for a Disney Date night!